Storage battery.



L. H. FLANDERS.

STORAGE BATTERY.

APPLICATION FILED FEB 23, 1905 Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

wi/lmeooeo UNITED STATES wear oi'nucnv LOUIS H. FLANDERS, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIONOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, T0 XVESTINGHOUSE STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

STORAGE BATTERY.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

Application filed February 23, 1905. Serial No. 246,941.

new and useful Improvement in Storage Batteries, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to secondary batteries, and more particularly to separators for such batteries.

In secondary batteries in which the elemenis are designed and assembled to occupy a minimum amount oi space, short circuiting of the batteries is liable to occur between the electrodes or plates, due to intercontact caused by buckling or' bending. For this reason, insulating separators are interposed between the plates. In suchbatteries, short circuiting also occurs through what is known as bridging of active material. This is: caused by an' electrolytically deposited chain, of some conducting salt or metal, connecting the electrodes. This deposition is usually formed on the surface of some interposed or adjacent insulating body.

The object of this invention is to produce a separator of simple and rigid construction that shall ctl'ectively insulate the electrodes.

A further object of this invention is the production of a separator occupying a minimum amount of space, and which will prevent the bridging of active material.

-These and other objects I attain in a separator embodying the features herein described. and illustrated.

In the single sheet drawing accompanyin this application and forming a part thereof,

Figure 1 is a side view of a separator composed of inclined spacing ribs mounted on arectangular binding frame: Fig. 2 is an end view of such a separator.

The separator consists of inclined insulating ribs connected by an upper and lower binding strap and lateral mounting pieces. larallel inclined ribs are connected to one side of the binding straps and form one half of the separator. The set of oppositely iuclined parallel ribs are connected to the other side of the binding st up and form the other half of the separator. The oppositely inclined ribs are connected at their intersection, and those terminating in the lateral binding pieces are connected to such binding pieces.

Referring to the figures: 'lhc'individual ribs composing the oppositely inclined sets 3 and 4 are half the width of the separator and are connected at 5, their points of intersection. These ribs are preferably of prismoidal form, as a rib of this shape presents a rigid resistance to bending, and is also conveniently handled in the operation of constructing the separator. Top and hottom'binding straps l5 and T are connected to the ends of the individual members in each set of inclined ribs. The lateral mounting pieces 8 and 9 are rigidly connected to the top and bottom binding straps (i and T, and also to the ends of the inclined ribs which terminate in them. This combination of crossed rib construction with the top and bottom binding straps and the lateral .mounting pieces, produces a strong and rigid separator, capable of preventing motion in the plates and a consequentbreaking of the lugs when the cells are subjected to vibrations and jars. The interposition of the numerous rigid points of separation secured by the intersection of the two sets of inclined bending or buckling in the lales.

Short circuiting through ridging of the active material along a ribbed surface, cannot take place, since the portion of the separator in contact with one plate is not in contact with the opposite plate, as the ribs on one side of the separator only extend half my into the space between the two plates,

and therefore no opportunity is presented for the lodgmeut of active material on the separator. The inclination of the ribs also tends to decrease the tendency of bridgiug, as active material lodging on the ribs slides down and drops oh the separator into the bottom of the containing vessel.

In order that. the separator cannot rise, due to its tendency to iioat in the electrolyte, l haveprovided hooks or projections 10 and 1.1, which are connected to the bottom bind ing strap 7. These hooks project. under the bottoms of the electrodes and hold the separators in normal position. The bottom binding straps hold the separators in plpce upon the bridges or lugs with which the containing jar is provided, and prevent them from dropping into the mud cellar 'or the bottom of the jar.

The individual members of the separator may be made of any suitable insulating ma- .80 r bs insures pertectseparation, and prevents terial, and byvulcanizing or otherwise, suitably connected together.

lfA separator comprising superimposed and diagonally .extendlng intersecting members provided with a binding and mounting frame, each diagonalmember being approximately-one-half the thickness of the frame.

'2. A separator comprising superimposed and diagonally extending intersecting n em bers provided 'with an integrally formed binding and mounting frame, each diagonally extending member being one-half the thickness of the frame. 3. A separator comprising superimposed andldiagonally extending intersecting members provided with a binding or mounting frame comprising flanged members and relatively thin end binding strips formed between the ends of the superimposed mom-- bers.

4. A separator comprising superimposed obliquely extending and intersecting members and a binding or mounting frame comprising laterally formed members provided with integrally formed Holding lugs located llietween the ends of the superimposed memers. a

In testimonywhereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 20th day of February, 1905.

LOUIS H. FLANDERS.

Witnesses DAVID WILLIAMS, CHARLES W. MGGHEE. 

